However this won’t clear up a much bigger downside. A sudden retreat from coal, many in Poland worry, will push the nation into the place of Germany, which is closely depending on imports of pure gasoline from Russia.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland mentioned this month that the federal government wouldn’t permit the Bogatynia mine to shut as a result of “this might put Poland’s power safety in danger.”
Of extra instant concern, nevertheless, are the home political dangers of shifting away rapidly from coal.
On a go to to Bogatynia earlier than Poland’s election for president final 12 months, the incumbent, Andrzej Duda, mentioned that coal miners supplied a “nice service” to Poland and that they might not be deserted. The city’s voters backed him within the election, serving to him to victory.
Andrzej Grzegorowski, a commerce union chief on the energy plant subsequent to the Turow mine, mentioned he voted for Mr. Duda as a result of “he ignited nice hopes for the way forward for coal.” Whether or not he votes for Mr. Duda’s governing Regulation and Justice celebration once more, nevertheless, will rely on whether or not it retains the mine open, he added.
Terrified of antagonizing miners, a shrinking however well-organized and vociferous constituency, Polish politicians have lengthy struggled to steadiness calls for for inexperienced power emanating from Brussels with voters’ calls for for jobs.
“Everybody in my household has all the time been linked to the mine right here,” mentioned Bogumił Tyszkiewicz, a union chief on the Turow mine. His two brothers, two brothers-in-law and his sister all have jobs with Polish Power Group, or PGE, a state-owned firm that operates the mine and the adjoining energy plant. Solely his son, who discovered work with a inexperienced power firm in one other city, doesn’t rely on the mine for his livelihood.
